Picture and method of making same



Aprifi 25, 395? J. c. GERATY 3,315,374

PICTURE AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME Filed April 19, 1965 y f ....fifff United States Patent Ofi fice Patented Apr. 25, 1967 3,315,374 PICTURE AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME John C. Geraty, 5225 W. Touhy Ave., Skokie, II]. 60076 Filed Apr. 19, 1965, Ser. No. 448,936 8 claims. '(Cl. 35--26) This invention relates generally to educational devices, and more particularly to a picture and means and method of making same.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a means and method in which a color picture can be made by unskilled persons, and is especially adaptable for use as an educational toy for children.

It is a more specific object of the present invention to provide means and methods of the type stated in which a base is coated with a pressure sensitive adhesive, the latter in turn being covered with a protective sheet having a pressure release surface facing the pressure sensitive adhesive. The covering sheet is pre-cut or perforated so that individual sections thereof, corresponding to different colored areas of the picture, may be individually stripped from the base to expose an area of pressure sensitive adhesive. Granular material, such as colored plastic beads or the like, may then be sprinkled onto the exposed pressure sensitive adhesive area whereby the granules adhere to the pressure sensitive adhesive but not to the cover sheet. The excess granules are then easily removed from the base. Other sections of the cover sheet are then successfully removed and sprinkled with colored granules until the picture is completed.

In one form of the invention, the granules may be colorless, and after being applied to a particular exposed area of adhesive, may be painted by a paint that adheres to the granules but not to the adjacent exposed surface of the cover sheet of uncovered sections. In another form of the invention, the base may be a plaque of wood having an attractive surface grain constituting portions of the picture against which the colored granules are contrasted in the finished picture.

The attainment of the above and further objects of the present invention will be apparent from the following specification taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing forming a part thereof.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a device used to form a picture in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view, on an enlarged scale, taken along line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to FIG. 4 and showing a step in the process of making a picture in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to FIG. 3 and showing a partially completed picture in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a top plan view similar to FIG. 1 but showing the partially completed picture of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to FIG. 2 but showing a modified form of the present invention; and

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to FIG. 6 and showing a partially completed picture in accordance with the form of the invention shown in FIG. 6.

Referring now in more detail and by reference characters to the drawing, 1 designates a base such as a rectangular piece of cardboard, one surface of which is coated with a layer of ressure sensitive adhesive 3. The adhesive layer 3 is of a conventional type such as that used in pressure sensitive tapes. The adhesive layer 3 may be applied directly to the base 1 as shown, or the adhesive may be applied to a backing to form a tape with the backing being suitably bonded to the base 1. A cover sheet 5 of paper or the like is applied over the adhesive layer 3 completely covering same. The cover sheet 5 has the surface 7 that is disposed against the adhesive layer 3. This surface 7 is coated with a suitable pressure release agent so that as portions of the cover sheet are stripped from the base, as will be hereinafter more fully explained, the adhesive layer 3 will remain attached to the base. If desired, the cover sheet may be of a material which is itself pressure releasive, in which case no separate coating of pressure release material is required.

The cover sheet 5 is pre-cut or pre-scored to provide a number of individually removable cover sheet sections designated by reference numerals 9 through 26, the score lines of the sections defining portions of the picture, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 5. The line of cut or score for the section 9 is shown exaggerated at 27 in FIG. 2. The score lines may be cut partially or entirely through the cover sheet 5 to form lines of Weakness along which the cover sheet sections may be readily separated from the base.

To make the picture, one of the cover sheet sections, for example, section 9, is stripped from the base 1 to expose an area of adhesive that corresponds in size and shape to'the portion 9 (FIG. 1) of the picture. Thereafter, colored granules 29 may be sprinkled from a shaker 31 containing a supply of same onto the adhesive exposed by removing the cover sheet section, as shown in FIG. 3.

of the cover sheet, the excess granules are readily removed from the base leaving a granular coated color picture section 33 (FIG. 5) which is identical in size and shape to the section 9 in FIG. 1.

The remaining sections 1026 of the cover sheet are then successively stripped from the base to expose their associated pressure sensitive adhesive areas, whereupon colored granules are deposited in those areas, successively, in the manner previously described. In those instances, where more than one of the sections will have the same color (for example, assuming sections 14 and 16 are each green) those two cover sheet sections may be stripped from the base 2 and granules of green color then sprinkled over both exposed areas of pressure sensitive adhesive left by removal of the cover sheet sections 14, 16;

To insure adequate adhesion of the granules to the adhesive in the completed picture, the masses of granules on the sections may be pressed against the adhesive by the fingers or through a piece of cardboard or the like.

The base 2 may be packaged with an adequate supply of granules of the proper colors and one or more shakers to constitute a picture-making kit. The various sections 926 of the picture are suitably color-identified so that the personmaking the picture will know which color granules are to be deposited on which areas. This may be done in various ways For example, the cover sheet sections may be colored, in which case the user may observe a preprinted color picture, and may deposit on each section granules of the same color as that of the removed cover sheet section. Alternatively, the cover sheet section may bear numbers or printed words indicating the color of granules that should be applied upon removal of that cover sheet section. Furthermore, suitable color-indicating information for each section may be supplied by an accompanying instruction sheet.

Instead of using colored granules, it is within the purview of the present invention to use colorless granules that may be appropriately painted in accordance with the colors of the respective sections of the picture. Where this is done, the kit may include a suitable paint that adheres to the granules, but preferably does not adhere to the cover sheet 5 due to the fact that the exposed surface thereof is a release surface.

A modified form of the present invention is shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. Here the base 34 may be of wood having a grain surface. 35. Alternatively, the base 34- may be of a material, or composite material, having a simulated wood grain surface or other attractive surface 35. The adhesive layer 3 is backed by a sheet 37 which is bonded to the base surface 35 by pressure sensitive adhesive layer 39. The base surface 35 is pressure releasable or is coated to be pressure releasable.

The several sections of the cover and appropriately colored granules are deposited on the several sections except for pre-identified sections, such as section 10, at which it is desired to expose the surface 35. In those sections, the portions of the sheet 37 corresponding to those sections are stripped from the base 34 to expose surface 35. To insure that the stripping of the cover sheet sections do not at the same time strip the sheet 37, the surface 35 may be somewhat less pressure releasable than the cover sheet 37.

In compliance with the requirements of the patent statutes I have herein shown and described a preferred embodiment of the invention. It is, however, to be understood that the invention is not limited to the precise construction and method herein shown, the same being merely illustrative of the principles of the invention.

What is new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In an apparatus for making a picture, abase over 'which is a laminate that includes a layer of pressuresensitive adhesive, a cover sheet over the pressure-sensitivelayer and with the side thereof that faces the pressure-sensitive layer having a pressure release surface, said cover sheet having sections which overlay areas corresponding to portions of the picture, each section of the cover sheet being capable of being individually stripped from the pressure-sensitive adhesive to expose the sub jacent area of pressure-sensitive adhe-sive which remains with the base said laminate including an additional layer of pressure-sensitive adhesive against the base, and a backing sheet between the two layers of pressure-sensitive adhesive, the base having a pressure release surface that facilitates stripping a selected portion of said backing sheet and additional layer of pressure-sensitive adhesive from the base to expose the subjacent surface thereof, the pressure release surface of said base being less releasable than that of the cover sheet so that said sections may be stripped without stripping the subjacent parts of the backing sheet from the base.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which at least some of the cover sections are each bounded by endless lines of weakness along which the sections are stripped from the base.

3. A kit for making a picture comprising a base over which is a laminate that includes a layer of pressure-' sensitive adhesive, a cover sheet over the pressure-sensitive layer and with the side thereof that faces the pressuresensitive adhesive having a pressure release surface, said cover sheet having lines of weakness outliningsections sheet 5 are stripped thereof that correspond to portions of the picture, the

sections being capable of being individually stripped from the base along their associated lines of weakness to expose subjacent areas of pressure-sensitive adhesive that are of the same size and shape as stripped sections and which remain with the base, and granular material that will adhere to the adhesive but not to the cover sheet and being adapted to be applied over exposed areas of adheonly being deposited sive to form areas of granules substantially identical with those exposed areas of adhesive, said laminate also including a backing sheet supporting the layer of pressuresensitive adhesive and an additional layer of pressuresensitive adhesive interposed between the backing sheet and the base and being adhered to each, the surface of the base against which said additional layer of pressuresensitive adhesive is adhered being a pressure release surface to facilitate stripping a super-imposed part of the laminate from the base to expose the base in an area adjacent to one of said sections.

4. A method of making a picture comprising, providing a base over which is a layer of pressure-sensitive a-dhesive and a removable cover sheet over the pressuresensitive adhesive and with the cover sheet having sections corresponding to portions of the picture, stripping a section of cover sheet from the base to expose the subjacent area of adhesive on the base, covering the exposed area of adhesive by depositing thereon granular material that adheres to the adhesive, and removing the layer of pressure-sensitive adhesive from another area of the base to expose the surface of the base in said other area.

5. A method of making a picture comprising, providing a base over which is a laminate that includes a layer of pressure-sensitive adhesive and a cover sheet over the pressure-sensitive adhesive and with the cover sheet having sections corresponding to portions of the picture, stripping at least one but less than all of the cover sheet sections from the base to expose the subjacent adhesive, depositing onto the exposed adhesive granular material that adheres to the adhesive but not to the cover sheet to cover the exposed adhesive, removing any loose excess granules from the base, and exposing a portion of the surface of the base in at least one of said sections by removing thereat the superimposed part of the laminate.

6. A method according to claim 5 in which the stripping of the sections, depositing of the granules onto the adhesive and removal of the excess granules is repeated and wherein there are masses of granules with each mass being of a different color, the granules from one mass after each stripping operation.

7. A method according to claim 5 in which the granules are capable of being colored, and after each depositing the adhered granules are colored by a substance that does not adhere to the cover sheet.

8. In an apparatus for making a picture, a base over which a layer of pressure-sensitive adhesive is disposed, a cover over the pressure-sensitive adhesive and with the side thereof that faces said pressure-sensitive adhesive having a pressure release surface, said cover sheet having lines of weakness along which sections thereof may be removed to expose the subjacent pressure-sensitive adhesive, and means for maintaining the pressure-sensitive adhesive adhered to the base when the cover sheet sections are stripped, said means including a composite sheet that has a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer against the surface of the base and with the surface of the base being pressure releasable to enable the composite sheet to be stripped therefrom'in selected areas.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS EUGENE R. CAPOZIO, Primary Examiner.

H. S. SKOGQUIST, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN AN APPARATUS FOR MAKING A PICTURE, A BASE OVER WHICH IS A LAMINATE THAT INCLUDES A LAYER OF PRESSURESENSITIVE ADHESIVE, A COVER SHEET OVER THE PRESSURE-SENSITIVE LAYER AND WITH THE SIDE THEREOF THAT FACES THE PRESSURE-SENSITIVE LAYER HAVING A PRESSURE RELEASE SURFACE, SAID COVER SHEET HAVING SECTIONS WHICH OVERLAY AREAS CORRESPONDING TO PORTIONS OF THE PICTURE, EACH SECTION OF THE COVER SHEET BEING CAPABLE OF BEING INDIVIDUALLY STRIPPED FROM THE PRESSURE-SENSITIVE ADHESIVE TO EXPOSE THE SUBJACENT AREA OF PRESSURE-SENSITIVE ADHESIVE WHICH REMAINS WITH THE BASE SAID LAMINATE INCLUDING AN ADDITIONAL LAYER OF PRESSURE-SENSITIVE ADHESIVE AGAINST THE BASE, AND A BACKING SHEET BETWEEN THE TWO LAYERS OF PRESSURE-SENSITIVE ADHESIVE, THE BASE HAVING A PRESSURE RELEASE SURFACE THAT FACILITATES STRIPPING A SELECTED PORTION OF SAID BACKING SHEET AND ADDITIONAL LAYER OF PRESSURE-SENSITIVE ADHESIVE FROM THE BASE TO EXPOSE THE SUBJACENT SURFACE THEREOF, THE PRESSURE RELEASE SURFACE OF SAID BASE BEING LESS RELEASABLE THAN THAT OF THE COVER SHEET SO THAT SAID SECTIONS MAY BE STRIPPED WITHOUT STRIPPING THE SUBJACENT PARTS OF THE BACKING SHEET FROM THE BASE. 